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A decade ago, on the 40th anniversary of the opening of the reservoir, Liverpool Council apologised to the Welsh people for destroying the village and flooding the valley.

Creating Llyn Celyn near Bala was to provide water for Liverpool was seen as the best way to ensure the city would not run out of clean drinking water as demand on its existing main source at Lake Vyrnwy became crippling. By taking over the valley, water supply to homes in the city could be guaranteed.

But the plans prompted fury among Welsh nationalists.

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They claimed the destruction of a community that was entirely Welsh-speaking led directly to the rise of Plaid Cymru as a major political force, the formation of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society), and the creation of the Welsh assembly.

Speaking at the time Liverpool City Council leader Mike Storey said: “What happened to the people in the valleys was wrong, and I think now is the right time to say sorry.”

Lord Mike Storey, former Liberal Democrat leader of Liverpool City Council

Mr Storey and Labour leader Joe Anderson drew up the apology.

It said: “The council acknowledges its debt to the many thousands of Welsh people who have made their homes in the city. They have in so many ways enriched the life of the city.

“We realise the hurt of 40 years ago when the Tryweryn valley was transformed into a reservoir to help meet the water needs of Liverpool.

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“We still have a strong Welsh community in our city, it is the biggest non-English group in Liverpool and it is important that we so this. “It is not gesturing, but a recognition of the mistakes of the past.”

The council resolution expressed the hope that the apology will ensure that the historic and sound relationship between Liverpool and Wales can be completely restored.

After hearing the apology Mr Llwyd called on Liverpool City Council to go a step further and fund a memorial statue to mark the events of 1965.

Schoolchildren from Capel Celyn with a protest banner in 1956

Alun Ffred Jones, Plaid Cymru AM for Caernarfon, who protested against the flooding as a schoolboy, said “it was right we acknowledge the fact that the city council has made this gesture”.

First proposed in 1956, the reservoir drowned the village of Capel Celyn and its farms, cottages, post office, school and Methodist chapel. Sixty-five million gallons of water were then pumped to homes and factories in Liverpool every day.